Tag: news round-up

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News Round-Up: July 19, 2017

With Grammy Award winner Richard Marx

Some news items you might have missed:

• File this under “Someone needs attention:” Donald Trump, all butt hurt from Senate Republicans’ failure to repeal and replace Obamacare, has hastily scheduled a rally in Ohio next week so his followers can love all over him.

• GOP Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas jumped the subway tracks that connect Congress to avoid speaking to reporters after his announcement with fellow Senator Mike Lee torpedoed the Republican health care bill last night.

• A Brigham-Young professor was fired for writing a pro-LGBT post on her Facebook. #SRSLY

• Andrew Garfield has clarified his now-infamous “gay without the physical act” comment saying he was taken out of context. And he was.

• Dallas businessman Jeffery Payne, owner of the Dallas Eagle and a former Mr. International Leather, has announced he will run for governor challenging Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s bid for re-election.

• I was down on the Las Vegas Strip yesterday interviewing the fab Richard Marx (above), who is about to begin his residency at the Flamingo Las Vegas in August. I attended a sneak peek of his show, “Satisfied: Only The Hits,” later in the evening. A tiny bit of last night’s showcase is posted below. Podcast interview coming up soon!

A post shared by Randy Slovacek (@randyslovacek) on Jul 19, 2017 at 12:08am PDT

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News Round-Up: July 14, 2017

People take much better selfies than I do LOL

Some news items you may have missed:

• Today’s my 54th birthday! And where am I spending it? In a dance studio (above) getting ready for a production of Sister Act I’m choreographing at Sacramento Music Circus next month. Who would have thought 40 years ago when I took my first dance steps I’d still be doing it? Or thought I’d grow up to be a passionate LGBT activist? #grateful

• A new survey in the UK says 37 is the tipping point for being “too old” to go clubbing. And 37% felt it was “tragic” to see folks in their 40s and 50s out on the party scene.

• A homeschooling Christian mother got so mad at Teen Vogue for running a story on anal sex she burned the magazine. That’ll learn’em.

• The only thing I love more than a bully getting their comeuppance is when the bully cries. A Portland, Oregon, man chased a Muslim couple in his car for 20 blocks shouting, “Take off the fucking burka, this is America; go back to your fucking country.” He now faces a hate crime of second-degree intimidation. #Good

• One of the stars of the TLC Christian reality show The Willis Family has been charged with four counts of child rape.

• Researchers in New Zealand have high hopes for a possible vaccine to combat gonorrhea.

• Sharon Stone shows stone-cold class in responding to a letter Madonna wrote in the 90s in which Madge refers to both Stone and Whitney Houston as “horribly mediocre.”

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News Round-Up: July 10, 2017

Instahunk Steve Raider

Some news items you may have missed:

• Woofy comic artist and model Steve Raider (above) doesn’t know anything about today being Monday 🙂

• Out Olympian Tom Bosworth sets new world record.

• Dallas firefighters say someone intentionally started a two-alarm fire at an LGBT resource center in South Dallas.

• Artist Leonardo Gutierrez has reimagined Super Smash Bros. characters as sexy bear versions of themselves. Check out his “Donkey Kong” below:

A post shared by Leo (@leoleus) on Jun 9, 2017 at 9:51am PDT

• The HIV Foundation of Queensland has launched a campaign to highlight how HIV+ people are stigmatized on dating apps.

• The Church of England voted this past weekend to condemn so-called “ex-gay therapy” and to welcome transgender folks to the Anglican faith.

• Check out this romantical dance between boyfriends that’s gone viral. Playful, passionate and definitely in-step 😉

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News Round-Up: July 6, 2017

Matthew Camp

Some news stories you may have missed:

• The pic above is one of hottie designer Matthew Camp’s more ‘innocent’ posts on his Instagram.

• A gay orgy was reportedly held in the Vatican City apartment of a high ranking Vatican official. The Pope is apparently really pissed…

• Did you hear about the “Gays For Trump” rally in Washington, D.C.? The one that had only 18 people show up?

• Fox News host Trish Regan suggested that it would “do a lot in terms of saving a lot of lives” if the U.S. sent in assassins to kill “crazy fat kid,” North Korea President Kim Jong-Un.

• A gay man in Belfast has suffered years of homophobic attacks including stones being thrown through his windows last week.

• After years of legal battles with her former producer, pop star Kesha has released her first single, “Praying.” The track is from her upcoming album, Rainbow.

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News Round-Up: July 5, 2017

Gus Kenworthy/Instagram

Some news items you may have missed:

• Woofy out Olympian Gus Kenworthy shares the above from his ESPN Magazine “Body Issue” shoot.

• NPR tweeted the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, but Trump supporters (who didn’t know what they were reading) took it to be “propaganda” against the Donald.

• Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler said transgender people serving in the military is as big a threat to national security as “North Korea, and Putin and ISIS.”

• The Colorado baker who refused to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple told the ladies at The View, “I don’t believe that Jesus would have made the cake if he had been a baker.” Joy Behar’s simple response: “Come on — Jesus would have made the cake.”

• A New York City man, indicted on hate crime charges, could face 15 years in prison for violently punching a lesbian on the subway as he shouted “dyke” and “faggots.” The victim suffered a concussion, fractured nose, a broken eye socket and multiple deep cuts.

• According to a new Pew Research Center poll, more Americans (56%) trust German Chancellor Angela Merkel than they do Donald Trump (46%).

• MSNBC’s Morning Joe had it’s biggest ratings ever the day after Donald Trump tweeted about the co-hosts. #SoMuchWinning

• Bonus “Just because” from Lony Pizarro, fitness model. Photo: Anthony Deeying

A post shared by Lony Pizarro (@lonypizarro) on Jun 30, 2017 at 12:01pm PDT

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News Round-Up: June 30, 2017

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Actor Tyler James (above) is primed and ready for the holiday weekend. #dang

 • People tried (and failed) to make #HeterosexualPrideDay a “thing.”

• A Los Angeles radio station “Music Coordinator” named Kylie emailed pop-mega-star Annie Lennox to let her know she has “potential.” May I remind you…?

• As Pride Month comes to and end, take a look at these photos from Prides all over the U.S. – Anchorage, Alaska; El Paso, Texas; and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.

• Jay-Z’s mom comes out as lesbian on the rapper’s new “4:44” album.

• Ok, I may need a second after seeing New England Patriots’ Julian Edelman’s ESPN Magazine “Body Issue” cover…

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News Round-Up: June 29, 2017

(image from Nashville Pride via Instagram)

Some news stories you may have missed:

• Pride Month 2017 is winding down, but it’s not over. World Pride this weekend in Madrid, Spain! #ColorMeJealous

• A new study shows 30% of lesbian couples still face rejection by wedding vendors. A huge majority of respondents said they’d be more likely to book a vendor that’s not only LGBT-friendly, but actively caters to the LGBTQ community. #MoneyTalks

• By a vote of 157-55, Serbian lawmakers have chosen 41-year-old out lesbian Ana Brnabic to become the nation’s first openly gay head of government.

• Former Fox News host Greta Van Susteren is now “former MSNBC host” as the political TV talker tweets she is “out at MSNBC.” In a world of liberal anti-Trump fury, her nascent show never caught on. Ari Melber, the network’s chief legal correspondent, will take over the 6PM time slot.

• Speaking to federal prosecutors at a Justice Department hate crimes summit in Washington, D.C. today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he will “aggressively” prosecute anti-transgender crimes. “We have and will continue to enforce hate crime laws aggressively and appropriately where transgendered individuals are victims,” the attorney general said. #ColorMeShocked

• For a little #TBT action and out music, let’s go back to this interview from my podcast with Tony Award winner Billy Porter regarding the release of his awesome album, Billy Porter Presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers.

Hit the play button below to hear several tracks from the collection as well as Billy’s inspiration for the project.

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News Round-Up: June 28, 2017

(via Instagram)

Some news stories you may have missed:

• I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling the “dude and dog” days of summer. See what I did there…?

• Britney Spears is pissed off people don’t think she sings live in her concerts. Honey, shush…

• Washington Blade reporter Chris Johnson was ejected from a Department of Justice LGBT Pride event saying the event was closed to the media. Similar events were open to press throughout the Obama administration.

• Netflix is currently developing a 10-episode sequel of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City with original 1993 series stars Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis set to star.

• A new poll from Quinnipiac University shows 63% of Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of the Senate Republicans’ healthcare bill, while only 16% approve.

• Check out this thrilling new trailer for the upcoming Hugh Jackman musical flick, The Greatest Showman, due in theaters this December 25. Also starring in the original musical are Michelle Williams, Zac Efron and Zendaya. The original score features songs by the Academy Award winning lyricists of La La Land.  I expect the featured song, “This Is Me,” to take off as a new anthem for everyone who finds pride in who they are.

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News Round-Up: June 23, 2017

Weekend bound (via Instagram)

Some news stories you may have missed:

• Who’s ready for the weekend? #Yahoooooo!

• Thanks to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the spire of One World Trade Center and the Kosciuszko Bridge to be lit with the colors of the transgender flag for Trans Day of Action today, June 23rd. The same landmarks will be illuminated in the colors of the Pride flag on Saturday and Sunday for NYC Pride celebrations.

• Also for NYC Pride – New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared June 22nd officially “Laverne Cox Day” as the actress made an appearance at his official residence, Gracie Mansion.

Said Cox, “Can you believe that a black transgender woman from Mobile, Alabama, raised by a single mother has a day in New York City named after her?”

• July 1st was the date that qualified transgender people were supposed to be able to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces, but military heads are asking for a six month delay.

• California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced yesterday that four states are being added to the state-sponsored travel ban because of efforts to enshrine discrimination against LGBTQ people into law.

• Speaking of lights for Pride, the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago was lit up in rainbow colors, apparently in celebration of Chicago Pride this weekend. But the lights only lasted one night, and when asked the hotel responded with, “We’ve been told not to say anything until the PR person puts out a statement.” Of course, as we all know, President Trump ended the tradition of recognizing Pride Month after eight straight years of proclamations from President Obama.

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News Round-Up: June 22, 2017

Javier Baez

Some news stories you might have missed:

• Check this sneak peek from the upcoming ESPN Body 2017 issue featuring hottie Chicago Cub Javier Baez. The issue is on newsstands July 7.

• Cincinnati plans to name a street after marriage equality plaintiff/hero Jim Obergefell and his deceased husband, Jim Arthur.

• Trans activist Janet Mock says “very privileged” Caitlyn Jenner is NOT a spokesperson for the trans community.

• Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt is getting his own show on MSNBC even as liberal hosts Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell lead the network in ratings. The good news, though, is out news anchor Thomas Roberts will now host a two hour news block on Saturday evenings from 7-9PM.

• Two years after SCOTUS made same-sex marriage the law of the land, Gallup reports that 10.2% of LGBT adults in the U.S. are married to a same-sex spouse, up from 7.9% before the ruling. Additionally, Gallup estimates 61% of same-sex, cohabiting couples in the U.S. are now married, up from 38% before the Obergefell ruling.

• Crystal Griner, the Capitol Police officer who took down the shooter at a Republican baseball practice threw out the first pitch yesterday at the Congressional Women’s softball game.